ATP TOUR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

November 21, 1993

Pete Sampras

PETE SAMPRAS: Who said that?

PETE SAMPRAS: What did you say?

PETE SAMPRAS: Out on the court? Well, it is disappointing. Like I said, I obviously had a great year, and I can hold my head up high, but I had my chances today, but Michael, you know, when we get down to the crunch time he seems to get through it - last year at the Grand Slam Cup. He won 3 breakers and today he deserved to win. He just played a little bit more solid than I did. But I will get over it.

PETE SAMPRAS: I didn't start off like I have been. First game I got broken; that was obviously not a good start. But, you know, maybe a little nervous, but once you start getting out there and playing him, I was fine. I am sure he was, too.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, it was close. I thought it might have been out. I was hoping it was out. But then it was 4-1, and he served it out. It was disappointing, but basically just evens out through the match.

PETE SAMPRAS: 3-1 in the breaker, I will show some emotion.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, I am normal; I show the emotion when I get a bad line call, or if I am upset, but more or less, I am pretty calm.

PETE SAMPRAS: Maybe it cost me at the end, but yesterday, I played at a level that was impossible to maintain, and today was a different match and a different day, and it was, you know, it was tough to play at that level yesterday, but I didn't think I was going to be able to do that. Five weeks in a row in Europe, you know, it has been a good trip, and maybe at the end there I just got a little mentally tired and, you know, fourth set he just served huge, and I really had no chance.

PETE SAMPRAS: No. Just -- it was just kind of the air was out of the balloon. When I lost that third set breaker it was, you know, I had some chances and, you know, he just got on an early break, and he was -- he probably aced me eight, nine times in that set, so --

PETE SAMPRAS: Sorry, 12. Rub it in a little bit.

PETE SAMPRAS: Sure. He has a game that is a big game. When he gets on a hot streak, like he has - four, five weeks - he is a dangerous player. He is obviously a better player indoor than outdoor. He will be in the race.

PETE SAMPRAS: That was my major concern and goal when I came on this trip was to try to, you know, maintain that ranking, and I felt good at Antwerp to get it. That kind of took a bit of the pressure off me this week. Only 11 guys have done it. It is a great accomplishment.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, Jim had a good year, getting a win in Australia and two Grand Slam finals. But you got to give a lot of credit to Michael. He, last four, five weeks, he plays unbelievable. Basically the ATP final is kind of the last major title and he deserved it.

PETE SAMPRAS: What was going through my mind?

PETE SAMPRAS: Obviously, still a little disappointed. But like I said to the fans, Michael just played a bit better than I did, and I am happy for him. He is a nice guy, and he will be in the race for next year, but, you know, just have to go home and rest and take a little vacation.

PETE SAMPRAS: Grand Slam Cup is still pretty important, but I don't plan on picking up a racket for a while, just -- just I will be picking up the golf club much more than the tennis racket over the next two weeks. I am going to enjoy my time off and let it all sink in; the year, it has just been getting better and better, unfortunately, my ninth finally just wasn't good enough.

PETE SAMPRAS: I am playing with Vitas Gerulaitis. Got it all worked out. Tuesday.

PETE SAMPRAS: In my course in Tampa, so we have been talking about it all week.

PETE SAMPRAS: I am sure tomorrow I will have a bit of a strawberry on the side of my back area, but it is a big point, breakpoint, and I dove. But I am fine. It didn't affect me throughout the match.

PETE SAMPRAS: Once you are winning matches, it obviously makes the time go by much quicker. I enjoyed my stay here, my fifth week here, and Frankfurt I have always played pretty well. Each time I come here I seem to enjoy it a little bit more because I am going to be here for the next 3-4 months every year for the next however long I want to play.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, I thought it was -- the event did a really nice job at the end. Obviously Michael got a bit emotional and the music and the whole thing. It was a sweet ending for him.

PETE SAMPRAS: I think the toughest final I had to get over was losing to Edberg couple of years ago at the Open where, you know, that was -- definitely different degree of losing in the finals. This one hurts, but, you know, it doesn't hurt quite as much as a couple of years ago, but it is important. I mean, I definitely wanted to win here, but the year is basically, in my mind, more or less over.

PETE SAMPRAS: This tournament doesn't have quite the prestige and history of a Grand Slam title. I have kind of been on both sides of winning them and losing them, and there is a huge difference, and you know, I am disappointed, but I seem to handle my losses pretty well, and tomorrow morning I will be on the next flight home and hitting the golf course.